Spring is Just Around the Corner - Prepping Your Vegetable Garden

Now is the time to grab your seed catalogs, collect your seeds, start your seedlings indoors and plan this year’s garden.

"Gardening is civil and social, but it wants the vigor and freedom of the forest and the outlaw."
Henry David Thoreau

Depending on where you live will determine your timeline on these tasks. However there are some basics to vegetable gardening and edible landscaping guidelines to get you started – novice or expert.

To learn more, read on about ...

• Understand the Terms
• Types of Seeds/Plants
• Garden Methods/Styles
• Compost, Mulch, Fertilizers & the Soil
• Space Requirements
• Hardiness Zone Maps
• Plant Variety Selection
• Prepping the Soil
• Planting
• Pests and Diseases
• Care and Feeding
• Harvesting & Preserving
• Cover Crops & Winterizing
• A List of Additional Resources

And much more ;-}

"Man - despite his artistic pretensions, his sophistication, and his many accomplishments - owes his existence to a six inch layer of topsoil and the fact that it rains."
Unknown

TNT

Are You In Control of Your Essentials & Desires?

“We are driven by five genetic needs:
survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.”
William Glasser

We humans are way too wrapped up in pursuing our fantasies, dreams and pursuit of happiness that we often create a living environment that we despise and try to escape from. We are hooked into believing that we won’t have more time or money in the future or that we won’t be part of the “in crowd” if we don’t spend NOW on this or that. To top it off we tend to do this to ourselves, like we are just a bunch of glutens for punishment.

We are constantly bombarded with the images of the “perfect” kitchen gadget, garden tool, sweater, house, yard or look and style; that we have no true idea what we ourselves actually like or dislike. As a result we are often like the hamster on the training wheel, running in circles and getting nowhere.

“Frugality may be termed the daughter of Prudence, the sister of Temperance, and the parent of Liberty”
Samuel Johnson

We convince ourselves that we can control the future, if we just get this or do that NOW. We fail to keep in mind that we humans basically control nothing but ourselves. The future will be what it will be.

For those of us that wish to be self-reliant or prepared, this distinction between needs and wants can be a major roadblock to our success.

"Men are so simple and so much inclined to obey immediate needs
that a deceiver will never lack victims for his deceptions."
Niccolo Machiavelli

A need is something you have to have, something you can't do without. A good example is food. If you don't eat, you won't survive for long. Many people have gone days without eating, but they eventually ate a lot of food. You might not need a whole lot of food, but you do need to eat.

A want is something you would like to have. It is not absolutely necessary, but it would be a good thing to have. A good example is music. Now, some people might argue that music is a need because they think they can't do without it. But you don't need music to survive. You do need to eat.

“Money never made a man happy yet, nor will it.
The more a man has, the more he wants.
Instead of filling a vacuum, it makes one.”
Benjamin Franklin

Our needs are relatively few, even from birth. We don’t need a lot of stuff, toys, gadgets, etc. The most basic needs you as a human require for survival are oxygen, water, food, clothing and shelter from the elements, clothing, food, love and understanding; we need friends and family around us. Anything beyond those are "wants".

When we cannot distinguish between wants versus needs, or if we can't identify a want as a want, we set ourselves up to live in a constant state of craving and disappointment.

“If you want to feel rich,
just count the things you have that money can't buy”
Proverb

We can see this when we look in our drawers, closets and kitchens. How many gadgets, trinkets and articles of clothing do we have that we really, really wanted when we purchased them, yet at best have only utilized once or twice in the last two years? These items were wants and desires and not needs or essentials.

There is nothing wrong with wanting these things. However we need understand that these things, in and of themselves, are not necessities to human life and often do not make us happy. Plus they are links in the chains that bind us to activities and jobs we ultimately despise or from obtaining our true goals.

“Life belongs to the living,
and he who lives must be prepared for changes.”
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Read on to learn how to identify the addictive cycle of "more" or "not enough" as well as tips on how to avoid it.

“A prudent man foresees the difficulties ahead and prepares for them;
the simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."
Proverbs 22:3

TNT

Vinegar In All Its Wonder & Common Uses

Vinegar is a liquid substance consisting mainly of acetic acid and water. The acetic acid is produced through the fermentation of ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. It is today mainly used in the kitchen, but historically, as the most easily available mild acid, it had a great variety of industrial, medical and domestic uses. Commercial vinegar today, is produced either by fast or slow fermentation processes.

In today’s perceived ‘time pressed’ world, many of its great uses have been forgotten. However, since the ‘silent economic depression’ seems to be dragging on, vinegar is again being used in place of the newer more expensive products and since vinegar has an almost limitless shelf life, it is a great, inexpensive item for long term emergency storage.

Unopened bottles of vinegar can be stored indefinitely. Producers recommend that opened bottles should be used up within 6 months to enjoy peak flavor; although many (including me) have kept vinegars much longer than that (years!). All bottles should be kept in a cool, dark place - including those gourmet bottles with sprigs of herbs inside. You need to choose if they’ll be food or decor, since daily exposure to bright light can alter the flavor over time.

Remember long term storage for most things (especially food and medical items) need cool, dry, dark places. The opposite of what is generally needed to grow them

While most people think of vinegar as something that is made from wine, it can be made from the fermented juices of virtually any plant material, including rice, grain and fruit. Thus, while European vinegar is basically an alcoholic beverage that has gone sour (the word vinegar that we use today is French for sour wine vin is wine and aigre means sour), around the world vinegars are made from a broad variety of bases.

Vinegar is a totally natural food. In a bottle of vinegar there are no harmful chemicals or preservatives, indeed vinegar is a preservative itself. There are so many ways that you can utilize its virtues. It is not just for vinaigrette dressing. There are many healing functions you can use it for. It cleans and sanitizes almost as well or better than anything on the market, it deodorizes and is a natural way to get rid of ants, other insects, and unwanted weeds. Vinegar through history has also been a good way to preserve foods. It is of course used in pickling but also when you marinate meat it kills unwanted bacteria such as ecoli.

The many uses of vinegar have been passed down through the centuries from medical, food preservation and condiment ingredient, to cleaning. White vinegar is especially popular for the treatment of rashes, bites and other minor ailments when camping.

Vinegar actually makes itself when aerobic bacteria (Acetobacter aceti or often called Mother of Vinegar) comes in contact with alcohol, while exposed to oxygen. The bacteria turn the alcohol to acetic acid and water; the acid that is found in all vinegars. Acetic acid is what gives vinegar its unique sharp sour taste. While acetic acid provides the vinegar with its primary taste component, it is the nature of the actual alcohol itself that gives the vinegar its specific character.

So, is it worth it to make your own vinegar?

It is becoming more and more popular to make your own vinegar or enhance store bought vinegar. Good homemade vinegar, when made properly, generally has a much better taste and more variety of flavors than the store bought. It is also fun just to see the process of nature at work.

Making simple cider or white vinegar can be cheaper than store bought, not always though.

Homemade vinegar does have one drawback – the acidity level will vary greatly, as us home producers do not have all the strategic testing of the acidic level to guarantee a consistent level. It can be done, however it will be way more of a time consuming thing, than an expense thing.

You can basically make vinegar from anything that has sugar in it.

First the sugars must change to alcohol. Then airborne bacteria turn the alcohol into acetic acid.

You can make vinegar from sugar water or molasses.

For some facts, history, uses, how-to’s and resources on the Wonderful World of Vinegar! see http://www.scribd.com/doc/78280149/Vinegar-in-All-Its-Wonder-Common-Uses

“If it is to be, it is up to me.”
William H. Johnsen
Depression-era realist/impressionist painter

TNT

The Household Cyclopedia-Over 10,000 Useful Domestic Arts How-to's 1881

A great online resource that is downloadable @ http://www.mspong.org/cyclopedia/download/cyclopedia.pdf is The Household Cyclopedia of General Information. It contains over 10,000 'receipts' or homemade items concerning useful and domestic arts - all of them; from agriculture to wines.

It was published in 1881 by Henry Hartshorne, M.D. who was a professor of Hygiene at the University of Pennsylvania. There were a slew of other contributors to this endeavor, from a report on the trial of agricultural implements that occurred at the Great National Field Trial in Auburn, New York and a treatise on Bees by E.S. Tuper; Plus much, much more.

This is a great digital item to have printed and bound, then given as a gift. Of course keep a hardcopy for your library too ;-}

“The only easy day was yesterday.”
From On Lavender Lane by JoAnn Ross

TNT

A Few Thoughts on that Nasty "M" word

First and foremost let’s not confuse Militia with Militant. There is a distinct difference between the two – Despite the misuse of Militia instead of Militant by our news media and government.

militant adj. 1 Pertaining to conflict with opposing powers of influences. 2 Of warlike or combative tendency; aggressive -noun A combative person; a soldier.

militia noun. 1 A body of citizens enrolled and drilled in military organizations other than the regular military forces, and called out only in emergencies. 2 U.S. All able-bodied citizens not members of the regular military forces.

criminal noun. 1 One who has committed an offense punishable by law.

Second we cannot confuse Militia with 3 Percenters

Basically a 3 Percenter is a mindset of doing what is needed, when it is needed no matter what the cost. They essentially ‘buy time’ for others around them to come to their senses and or mobilize, in an intense/dangerous situation; which usually results in death. Three Percenters today are mostly American gun owners who have taken a stand.

If you are a history buff, you can find other examples of the Mindset of 3 Percenters:

• The 300 Spartans and the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC - These men sacrificed themselves to buy time for the whole of Greece!
• Battle of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 - These men sacrificed themselves to buy time for the whole of our new fledgling country!
• Battle at the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) These men sacrificed themselves to buy time for Sam Houston to rally the rest of the troups for the independence of Texas!
• Siege of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge, December 21, 1944 (there abouts) These soldiers were surrounded, had few supplies and it was the dead of winter. Yet they stood their ground and sacrificed their lives to stop the Nazi’s last ditch effort to turn the tide of this war!

Militias, are a form of citizen-based defense that shaped early American history and created an American tradition of citizen soldiery. Early American colonies faced dangers from Native American and European foes. Colonial governments quickly established universal military obligation for white males. At its simplest, men were armed or ordered to arm themselves, organized into units, and trained.

The modern concept of the militia is as a defensive organization against invaders. It grew out of the Anglo-Saxon "fyrd". In times of crisis, the militiaman left his civilian duties and became a soldier until the emergency was over, when he returned to his civilian occupation and life.

In understanding these different meanings and the history of militia, one would think we should now be able to use the word and it can lose some of its nasty connotations. However, Theory and Reality are like apples and oranges – they are not interchangeable!

So let me stress again – Militia are NOT Militant in and of themselves. Yes, some militant groups (there is good and bad in everything) abuse the word militia in their group names. Overall militia groups are NOT the Ruby Ridge; Waco; Hutaree or Timothy McVeigh’s of our recent past.


Read on for in-depth definitions of these words, as well as a little bit of history to further explain their differences and some detail on the various “Militia Acts” that have been passed. And last but not least, how YOU can correct the 'bad' image that the word Militia now evokes and what to do with militia groups around you, with a complete list of resources from the pros.

Now is time to don your armor of knowledge and Prep On ;-}

TNT

Another Year of New Year’s Traditions & Resolutions

New Year's is the closest thing to being the world's only truly global public holiday, often celebrated with fireworks at the stroke of midnight as the new year starts.

In waves of celebrations travel across the globe; whether it is the glittering ball in Times Square or a giant cheese wedge in Plymouth, Wisconsin, champagne flutes clink and kisses are exchanged as countless people toast the New Year.

New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome. With most countries using the Gregorian calendar as their main calendar. January 1 on the Julian calendar currently corresponds to January 14 on the Gregorian calendar, and it is on that date that followers of some of the Eastern Orthodox churches celebrate the New Year.

So where did all these traditions and resolutions start?

The celebration of the new year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring) around what is now March 23, although they themselves had no written calendar.

The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops and of blossoming. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.

The Babylonian new year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison.

The Romans tradition of the New Year's goes all the way back to Janus, a mythical king of early Rome was placed at the head of the calendar, via their solar calendar which put it in late March.

As their calendar was continually tampered with by various emperors it soon became out of synchronization with the sun. So in order to set the calendar right, the Roman senate, in 153 BC, declared January 1 to be the beginning of the new year.

But tampering continued until Julius Caesar, in 46 BC, (who developed a calendar that would more accurately reflect the seasons than previous calendars had) established what has come to be known as the Julian Calendar. It established January 1 as the new year. However, in order to synchronize the calendar with the sun, Caesar had to let the previous year drag on for 445 days.

In the Middle Ages, Christians changed New Year's Day to December 25, the birth of Jesus. Then they changed it to March 25, a holiday called the Annunciation. In the sixteenth century, Pope Gregory XIII revised the Julian calendar, and the celebration of the New Year was returned to January 1.

The Julian and Gregorian calendars are solar calendars. Some cultures have lunar calendars, however. A year in a lunar calendar is less than 365 days because the months are based on the phases of the moon.

The Chinese use a lunar calendar. Their new year begins at the time of the first full moon (over the Far East) after the sun enters Aquarius- sometime between January 19 and February 21.

It is believed that the Babylonians were the first to make New Year's resolutions and people all over the world have been breaking them ever since. The early Christians believed the first day of the new year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year.

Popular modern resolutions might include the promise to lose weight or quit smoking. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

Noisemaking and fireworks on New Year's eve is believed to have originated in ancient times, when noise and fire were thought to dispel evil spirits and bring good luck.

Legend has it that the Chinese made the first fireworks in the 800s, filling bamboo shoots with gunpowder and exploding them at the New Year with the hope that the sound would scare away evil spirits. According to tradition, Marco Polo brought this technology back to Europe.

It's fair to say, however, that the origins of fireworks are shrouded in smoke; the China story is widespread, and possibly true, but fireworks may in fact have developed in India or the Arab world. Fireworks became known in Europe during the 1300s, probably after returning Crusaders brought them from the East.

Although the date for New Year's Day is not the same in every culture, it is always a time for celebration and for customs to ensure good luck in the coming year.

“Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions.
Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual."
Mark Twain commenting on New Year's Day

In an effort to make this next year better than the last, millions vow to kick bad habits and improve themselves .

Unfortunately, most people make resolutions with the best intention of following through on them. However they usually do not get through March before they either forget the resolutions or put them off for “lack of time”. It's hard to change old habits, most people make resolutions and set goals either to start doing something on a daily basis or to stop doing something as long as they can.

A University of Washington study in 1997 found 47 percent of the 100 million adult Americans who make resolutions give up on their goals after two months. This figure has grown to 80 percent in the past decade, according to recent research completed at the University of Minnesota.

There are quite a few different sources claim to know what the top New Year's resolutions are that people make each year and the United States government is no exception!

According to the U.S. Government these are Popular New Year's Resolutions

• Lose Weight/Get Fit/Eat Right
• Manage Debt/Save Money
• Get a Better Job
• Get a Better Education
• Drink Less Alcohol
• Quit Smoking
• Reduce Stress
• Take a Trip
• Volunteer to Help Others

If those ‘government‘ resolutions aren't creative enough, or you like to think outside of the box, here are some other ideas for New Year's resolutions that are not included on the U.S. Government's list.

• Get Prepared – Write a plan, make a kit, stay informed and aware, practice
• Be responsible for yourself
• Become as self-reliant as possible
• Think for yourself
• Organize your living space or just Get Organized
• Stop procrastinating and wasting time
• Relieve the stress in your life
• Improve your relationships with your family and other people
• Enjoy Life
• Spend Time with Family
• Learn Something New
• Go Environmentally Conservative
• Improve Community

Tips for Achieving New Year's Goals

While the statistics are grim, our intentions to make 2012 the best year yet aren't doomed. Experts agree that writing down resolutions, sharing goals with others and tracking your progress; can help you achieve success.

• No matter which resolution is chosen, following through with achieving it can be a life changing experience for the better. Each year we are given an opportunity to start fresh with a new goal, and new inspiration of attaining it.
• While some have the best of intentions, and try to make a genuine effort to change whatever needs to be improved in order to enhance their quality of life, others often give up shortly after determining their goals.
• The percentage of those who actually reach their goals is quite low. Setting goals that are attainable is the best way to achieve success no matter what the resolution is. It is better to take small steps toward a goal than to set too big of a goal and give up altogether. Some change is better than none.
• Decide on what is attainable and then take actions to achieve it. For example, instead of making a goal to lose 30 pounds, make a goal to lose 5 pounds. Once that is achieved, set another goal of losing 5 more pounds, that way success can be achieved and continued.

Read on for more history on the traditions, celebrations and resolutions of old and new!!!

Prep On ;-}

TNT

PS - Here are my resolutions:

Think for myself
Blaze my own path
Treat others as I wish to be treated
Get even more self-reliant
Be even more prepared for the unexpected
Don't settle for 'the lesser of evils' - Don't 'settle' period!

Today is the Tomorrow that you worried about Yesterday

Tis the Season

Ah December, that month between giving thanks for the abundance of the harvest to shore us up through the “twilight” time of the year and the marking of the hope and promise of the new year ahead. Yep traditionally human-kind has had a good portion of our “holidays” between the seasons of fall and spring. This tells me that we were closely monitoring and relying on the cycles of the seasons.

“Thank you Creator for all the opportunities you have provided me with this year. I ask only for patience, tolerance and understanding toward all that You have created and the wisdom to grow and live with it in harmony and peace.”

Throughout history humans have created rituals to emphasize important transitional times in our lives. We mark and record these transitions on a regular basis based on the skies above our heads, to our own human designed calendars and create traditions. There is one common theme to our rituals, festivals and holy days throughout the ages, especially during winter – to be humble as we remind ourselves that humans are but a very miniscule part of the universe around us.

The Holiday Season in the month of December is not just about all the various spiritual observances. No instead we should remember that winter is celebrated all over the world with various celebrations, holidays and festivals that are linked to the solstice, in addition to religions and traditions.

My heritage and grandparents have given me a unique blend of Scotch/Irish Winter Solstice with a Yule log and the Roman Saturnalia, all mixed with “modern” Christianity.

Although neither set of grandparents had a tree in the house, they both decorated an outdoor “tree of green” with gifts from the harvest for our wild friends (seeds in cakes of lard, cranberries, popcorn, etc).

Small gifts of thanks and good will were exchanged between family members and close friends. Midnight mass or “prayer of thanks” (depending on the weather) was a ritual common to both sides of the family. Above all was the hope of spring, better times ahead, saving grace and thanks for making it through the current year.

Give us, O God, the vision which can see Your love in the world in spite of human failure.
Give us the faith to trust Your goodness in spite of our ignorance and weakness.
Give us the knowledge that we may continue to pray with understanding hearts.
And show us what each one of us can do to set forward the coming of the day of universal peace.
Frank Borman, Apollo 8 space mission, 1968

TNT